Adult Learners' Forum for Aberdeenshire

Adult Learning and Communities Workers from the Community Learning and Development Service in Aberdeenshire work with adults to improve their literacies learning and skills for life. Here are some of their thoughts about learning with Community Learning and Development and the impact on their lives.

Published by Caithleen Bell - Senior Community Learning and Development Worker

Inaugural Meeting, Thursday 20th March

Two learners attended a meeting held at Stonehaven Community Centre, they shared their experiences for adult learning with Community Learning and Development. We discussed the purpose, benefits, barriers and key issues of adult learning. We also explored their hopes for the future for Adult Learning in Kincardine and Mearns.

As this was their first meeting, an overview of the purpose of an Adult Learning Forum was shared with them, with an emphasis of them being the experts, encouraging them to share their opinions and have their voice heard.

Both learners would be keen to be part of the Kincardine and Mearns Adult Learners Forum and would be interested in joining discussions and events.

ALFA members were in agreement that the priority for the remainder of 2024 is to encourage Aberdeenshire adult learners to participate in the Budget Engagement for 2025/26 that Aberdeenshire Council has live on Engage Aberdeenshire.

Community Learning and Development Workers (CLD Workers) who support adult voice in our local communities have been tasked with supporting existing adult learners to understand their rights when it comes to having their voices heard in the budget setting process and to offer support with completing the consultation form if they choose to be involved. ALFA members will also promote this across their networks.

You can find out more about the budget engagement and complete the consultation questions by clicking here

Natalie Naylor is an inspirational advocate for adult learning and a dedicated representative of the Marr Adult Learners’ Forum on Aberdeenshire’s Adult Learners' Forum (ALFA). On the evening of September 10th, Natalie appeared on STV News to share her powerful story about living with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and to discuss why she founded a support group in Grampian for others facing the same challenges.

As a passionate activist, Natalie is committed to making a positive impact by improving life chances and creating opportunities for informal learning, personal growth and social development. Her tireless advocacy, volunteer work and dedication to peer support are truly commendable.

We want to extend a heartfelt congratulations to Natalie for her incredible efforts in raising awareness, supporting others, and championing lifelong learning and peer support. Well done, Natalie!

You can watch the STV news piece here on YouTube:

02 Uk V2 White Beard (youtube.com)

Over the past few months, adult learners in Huntly, Marr have come together twice to form a new forum aimed at fostering growth and connection among learners in the area. This initiative seeks to amplify learner voices and support the development of adult learning opportunities within the community.

The first gathering brought together seven members at the Square Deal, where they had the chance to get to know each other and discuss their personal learning experiences. They also reviewed findings from a local survey on adult learning, which sparked conversations on how best to address the needs of learners in Huntly and Marr.

During both meetings, members explored a variety of topics, such as understanding group constitutions, brainstorming funding opportunities and discussing how to support the forum's objectives. The group would like to establish a mentoring programme, organise award ceremonies and host events to promote lifelong learning in the area.

David, a new member of the Huntly / Marr Adult Learners’ Forum, shared his enthusiasm, saying,

"Adult learning is crucial, and I’m proud to be part of this group. Learning benefits everyone, and it’s important that we ensure local people have access to opportunities that can improve their lives."

The forum is a promising step towards strengthening adult learning in Huntly and Marr, creating a supportive network for those seeking to continue their educational journeys.

A massive step forward in learner voice was taken on the 3^rd September when a member of the Kincardine and Mearns’ learners’ forum, with support of ALFA colleagues, joined the local learning partnership meeting with the aim of informing and influencing local learning.

Both learner voice activists shared the views of learners from the Kincardine and Mearns area in terms of the big issues, benefits, barriers and hopes for the future of Adult Learning.

All 6 specific area reports and the Aberdeenshire wide report are available on the Adult Learners' Forum for Aberdeenshire | Engage Aberdeenshire page.

Our Kincardine and Mearns learner voice representative and ALFA member, Mandy Anderson said,

"It was a privilege to be asked to represent ALFA, providing a fantastic opportunity to showcase what adult learners truly desire and can accomplish. While the thought of delivering the findings to the Learner Partnership meeting was daunting, it was an important step in highlighting the needs and aspirations of adult learners."

To find out more about Aberdeenshire Community Learning Partnership, visit: Aberdeenshire Learning Community Partnership | Engage Aberdeenshire

In collaboration with CLD, the Adult Learners’ Forum for Aberdeenshire (ALFA) co-designed a survey and consulted community-based learners, both in person and online, during May and June 2024. The goal of the survey was to explore the benefits, barriers, concerns and aspirations surrounding community-based adult learning.

A total of 58 adults from all six administrative areas of Aberdeenshire participated in the consultation. The key findings emphasise the crucial role that community-based adult learning plays for all respondents.

Respondents highlighted numerous benefits of adult learning, including increased confidence, improved mental health and wellbeing, the acquisition and application of new skills, attainment of new qualifications and certificates, and enhanced employability prospects.

However, significant barriers to accessing community-based adult learning were also identified. These included limited awareness of available opportunities, the lack of suitable programmes, as well as practical challenges such as transportation, childcare, and poor digital connectivity or access to necessary equipment.

Participants expressed their aspirations for the future of adult learning, including:

• “Adult learning needs to be more visible. We searched everywhere and couldn’t find much information about it.”
• “Let’s remove the stigma surrounding adult education and make it accessible to everyone, regardless of background or occupation—whether it’s someone working in the fields or a person employed in a factory.”

For more insights into learners’ views on community-based adult learning, please refer to the six area-specific reports available in the documents section of this project page.

ALFA members met on Wednesday 19th June at 7 pm for their regular monthly meeting. They discussed several items:

• Feedback to group from representatives at the National Adult Learning Awards Experience
• Feedback on facilitating the National Numeracy Day Big Natter About Numbers session
• The ALFA ‘Helping you to vote’ sessions
• Funding requirements
• Update on CLD developments:

• Referral form
• Review on Accreditation
• Structure Changes possibly impacting group

• Learner Voice Conversations and forum meetings around survey on Engage Aberdeenshire

Members agreed to have a meeting to review the area learner voice findings from each area in early July.

ALFA member Charlie McCorry said “It’s great to see the group working to promote learner voice and conversations throughout Aberdeenshire about Adult Learning. We’re building momentum and confidence as a group”.

ALFA members Natalie, Lee and Chaz who brought home a National Adult Learning Award to Aberdeenshire have presented it to their Adult Learning CLD worker Ed Garrett.

All three members are from the Huntly area and have benefited from Ed’s approach to supporting them on their learning journey.

Natalie Naylor stated “Adult educators and tutors are not recognised enough for what they do and the impact they make on our lives. We want Ed to house our award, a beautiful wood and slate clock, at the Linden Centre to highlight how much adult learning means to us and how much Adult Educators in Community Learning and Development do to help us improve our lives”.

Ed was very humbled by the experience and said “I am touched and moved to be given this beautiful, crafted clock to hang here at the Linden Centre. It is wonderful to work with you all and see how you have developed into a national award-winning group.”

One of the main aims of ALFA is to get adult learners talking about learning in communities. ALFA want to collate learners’ views from the six areas of Aberdeenshire. ALFA want to inform and influence learning provision in the area. To do that they will be creating area reports on your views as a former or current adult learner or someone who cares about adult learning.

They will create 6 reports which will be published here every three months. The reports will also be presented to the 6 Local Learning Partnerships and Aberdeenshire Learning Community Partnership.

Their first survey is now open for 3 weeks and asks you about what you think are the benefits, barriers, concerns and hopes for community-based adult learning in Aberdeenshire.

Please help ALFA represent you by completing this short survey. The survey closes on 30^th June and the reports will be made available on this site by 31^stJuly 2024. We thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this survey: Survey Link